Centrifugal threshing and separating device



Oct. 25, 1932. NYE

CENTRIFUGAL THRESHING AND SEPARATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 22, 1951 INVENTOR 620g: "m/709176 ATTORNbY Patented Oct- 25, 1932 UNITED STATES.

GEORGE FRANCIS NYE, OI KEARNEY, NEBRASKA GENTBIFUGAL THBESHINQ AND SEPABATING DEVICE This invention relates to combined threshing and separating machines and is adapted for use in threshing all types of rain to eliminate the chafi', straw and dirt mm the grain kernels. V

The novelt lies primarily in the mounting on a single s aft of a threshing element an air blast fan for drawing the grain through the threshing element, and a counter air to blast fan for separating the chafl and straw from the grain kernels. Further novelty resides in the mounting of the two fans on opposite sides of a single disk and the threshing element substantially integral with the It two fans to produce a compact, rigid unit.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the machine with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, on any suitable type of standard'such as that shown at 1, are mounted bearings 2 which support a shaft 3. This shaft may be direct-connected to a source of power such as a motor or internal combustion engine, or it may be drivenby means of a pulley 4 from a portable power source not shown.

The shaft 3 carries a hub 5 to which is ailixed a plate or disk 6r This disk is flanged at its circumference as shown at 7 On one side of the disk 6 is a plurality of fan blades 8 and a second set of fan blades 9 on the opposite sides of the disk. Adjacent to the disk is a cone 10 also carried by the shaft 3 one end of the cone abutting against the disk 6 and the opposite end tapered to terrlrnate in a narrow hub portion designated The crop is introduced to the machine throu h an inlet pipe 11. This inlet pipe is curve in the directlon of the axis of the shaft to form a conical shaped housing 12. This housing terminates in a funnel-shaped mouth 13 which lies adjacent to the fan blades 8. On the exterior of the cone 10 are threshing pins 14 which are staggered with similar pins 15 on the interior of the housing placed in a reverse direction so that the grain passing between the pins will be torn apart and the chafi and straw separated from the ker- Application filed January 2:, i031. Serial No. 510,470.

nels. A feeder 16 is mounted on the shaft 3 in the throat of the inlet pipe 11. This prevents clogging, packing or twisting of the straw around the shaftand assures a more positive feed to the threshing element. 55 Surrounding the funnel-shaped end of the housing 13 is a volute 17 which terminates in a chaff and straw discharge pipe 18. Similarly, at the peripheral edge of the disk 7 is a volute chamber 19 which terminates in a 1 1 grain discharge pipe 20. Adjacent the flanged end 7 of the disk 6 is a cylindrical band 21 which is flanged at 22 to increase its rigidity and to permit adjustment in a direc tion parallel to the axis of the shaft 3. By moving this circular band in one direction the annular grain discharge passageway 23 may be enlarged or constricted to regulate the relative pressures existing in the grain volute 19 and the chaff and straw discharg volute 17.

The grain discharge passageway 23 is preferably a neutral zone through which the grain is discharged by centrifugal force imparted by the fan blades 8. In case a small amount of chafi and straw is being discharged with the grain into the grain discharge volute or some of the grain into the chafi and straw volute, by adjustment of the circular plate a more accurate separation is produced due to the differential air pressures in the grain volute and the chaff and straw volute. Under certain conditions it is preferable to have the counter blast set up y the fan blades 9 in excess of the pressure 3;, created by the fan 8 which discharges the chaff and straw. In such case the counter blast set u by the 'fan 9 will pass through the grain ischarge port 23 in an opposed direction to the grain, cleaning the grain of the lighter particles of dirt, chaff, straw, or

other deleterious matter and combining with the air blast from the fan 8 to be finally discharged through the pipe 18. The major portion of the counter blast will normally pass out with the grain through the grain discharge pipe 20. The counter blast air carrying the grain is sufficient to transport it to any suitable collecting bin;

It is contemplated that this machine may I 2. A centrifugal threshing be operated as a stationary threshing unit or mounted on a combined harvester as {the threshing and separatin element. Furthermore, it may be mounte with a power source in innumerable combinations where the power source may be used both to furnish power to the threshing and separating mechanism and also suppl power for traction.

The inlet for the air sup lied to the fan 8 is through the pipe 11 an it is discharged through the ipe 18. The air for the counter air blast is' rawn through an inlet 23 at the o posite end of the housing and the dis- 0 arge for the counter blast air passes out through the .grain discharge pipe and a portion through the passageway 23 into the discharge pipe 18 carrying off the chat! and straw.

While the machine is mounted in the drawings in a horizontal position, it is contemplated that the shaft may be positioned in a vertical direction or at any other suitable angle, as the forces which take effect upon to be threshed and au mentin eague mediate the disk and threshing element, said threshing element disk and fan mounted on said rotatable shaft and enclosed in said hens ing, a chafi and straw discharge on one side of said disk a ain dischar on the opposite side of said disk and an a 'ustable e ement carried by said housing, said disk and said adjustable element forming an annular gram passageway adjustable as to width at the circumference of the disk, throu h which the threshed grain, passes to grain 'scharge.

4. A threshing machine as in claim 1 in which said disk is provided on its other s1 de with fan blades for drawing in the material the centrifugal impelling effect 0 said dis 5. A threshing machine as in claim 1 in which said channels are-formed with a progressivel increasing cross sectional area.

6. A reshin machine as in claim 1 in which said housing is provided with a crop inlet duct, means mounted on said shaft for a GEORGE FRANCIS NYE.

for rotation therewith adapted to throw the threshed mass outwardly by centrifugal force blower fan blades mounted on one side of said disk'for rotation. therewith adapted to set u an air blast over the periphery of said di of sufiicient force to overcome the centrifugal momentum imparted to the chaff while insufficient to affect the grain, a chaff collecting channel formed in said housing and a grain collecting channel formed in sai housing, said channels being provided with respectiveoutlets for the chaff and the grain.

machine including in combination a housing a rotatable shaft, a threshin element, a disk, a fan intermediate the 1sk and threshing element said threshing element, disk and fan moun on said rotatable shaft and enclosed in said 65 shaft, a threshing element, a disk, a fan interlap 

